Roof structure of vehicle

ABSTRACT

Provision of abutments on exposed and/or unexposed portions of roof and side outer members at a boundary portion causes the members not to be vertically overlapped to each other at the boundary portion. Therefore, the roof member can be placed on the side outer member from right above with no trouble since the unexposed surface portion of the roof member does not interfere with the exposed and unexposed surface portions of the underlying side outer member.

This application is a division of Ser. No. 08/755,956 filed Nov. 25,1996.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a roof structure of a vehicle.

A roof structure with a drip channel has been prevailingly adopted for avehicle such as passenger car or bonnet truck.

An example of such roof structure with a drip channel is shown in FIGS.14 to 17.

More specifically, for a door opening 2 in a vehicle body 1 as shown inFIG. 14, a drip channel 4 is spot-welded at 5 as shown in FIG. 15 to aside outer member 3 which provides a lateral surface of car cabin. Aroof member 6 is placed on the side outer member 3 from right above andis spot-welded at 7 to the drip channel 4.

A pillar 8 as shown in FIG. 14 is provided such that the roof member 6placed on the side outer member 3 from right above is coupled to themember 3 at 9 by brazing or arc brazing as shown in FIGS. 16 and 17.

In the figures, reference numeral 10 denotes a side inner member.

With the above arrangement, a boundary between the members 6 and 3 arevertically coupled together at the pillar 8 so that placement of themember 6 on the member 3 from right above causes no structural problems;however, there are problems in that the drip channel 4 is needed tomount the roof member 6 and that troublesome working such as brazing orarc brazing is required.

For this reason, a roof structure with no drip channel has been proposedand employed in recent years.

In this roof structure with no drip channel, as shown in FIGS. 18 to 21,a boundary 13 between a roof member 11 and a side outer member 12 is ata roof 14. The members 11 and 12 are respectively formed withgroove-defining side walls 15 and 17 and groove-defining bottoms 16 and18. The bottom 16 of the roof member 11 is placed on and spot-welded tothe bottom 18 of the side outer member 12 to provide the boundary 13 inthe form of a groove 20 substantially extending in a longitudinaldirection 19 of the vehicle. The groove 20 is filled with molding (notshown) made of rubber or synthetic resin to hide the boundary 13.

Thus, the use of the roof structure with no drip channel eliminates theneed for the drip channel 4 as well as troublesome working such asbrazing or arc brazing.

However, the roof structure with no drip channel as described has abelow-mentioned disadvantage.

Generally, a vehicle has, on its front and rear sides, windows 21(particularly, a substantially vertical window on the rear side in thecase of a bonnet truck). Accordingly, the members 11 and 12 must beprovided at their longitudinal ends with unexposed surface portions 26and 27 as shown in FIG. 19 which comprise inner bents 22 and 23 forengagement with a pane of glass for the window 21 and lower margins 24and 25 for support of the glass pane, respectively.

The unexposed surface portions 26 and 27 are inevitably receded relativeto exposed surface portions 28 and 29 of the roof 14. Hence, there is afair possibility that the roof member 11 cannot be placed on the sideouter member 12 from right above since the unexposed surface portion 26of the roof member 11 interferes at 30 with the exposed and unexposedportions 29 and 27 of the member 12.

The present invention was made in view of the above and has its objectto provide a roof structure for a vehicle in which a roof member can beplaced on a side outer member with no trouble.

In a first aspect, the present invention provides a roof structure for avehicle which comprises a side outer member and a roof member combinedat side portions thereof to provide a groove extending over at leastmidway of a boundary between said members, said groove being defined byoverlapped portions of said members, boundary portion on at least eitherof front and back ends of the members being provided by abutments onsaid members which are not overlapped to each other.

In a second aspect, the present invention provides a roof structure fora vehicle which comprises a side outer member and a roof member combinedat side portions thereof to provide a groove extending over at leastmidway of a boundary between said members, said groove being defined byoverlapped portions of said members, the side portion of the roof memberbeing diagonally cut out to provide a diagonally cut portion downwardlydirected toward the center axis of the roof member such that a cornerdefined by the cut portion and exposed and unexposed surface portions ofthe roof member is substantially aligned with a corner defined by theexposed and unexposed surface portions of the side outer member, saidunexposed surface portions of said members having abutments which arenot overlapped to each other.

In a third aspect, the present invention provides a roof structure forvehicle which comprises a side outer member and a roof member combinedat side portions thereof to provide a groove extending over a boundarybetween said members, parts of an inner bent and a lower marginconstituting an unexposed surface portion of the roof member being cutout to provide a cut-out such that in use a lower edge of said cut-outis spaced apart from an edge of a groove-defining portion of the sideouter member toward a center axis of the vehicle, an inner bent and alower margin constituting an unexposed surface portion of the outer sidemember being extended to provide an extension toward the center axis ofthe vehicle, said inner bents and said lower margins of said unexposedsurface portions of said members being mutually overlapped with those ofsaid roof members being inside.

In the above-mentioned first aspect, provision of the abutments on theexposed and/or unexposed portions of the members at the boundary portioncauses the members not to be vertically overlapped to each other at theboundary portion. Hence, the roof member can be placed on the side outermember from right above with no trouble since the unexposed surfaceportion of the roof member does not interfere with the exposed andunexposed surface portions of the underlying side outer member.

In the above-mentioned second aspect, the unexposed portion of the roofmember is not vertically overlapped with the exposed and unexposedsurface portions of the side outer member since a diagonally cut portiondownwardly directed toward the center axis of the roof member isprovided such that the corner defined by the cut portion and the exposedand unexposed surface portions of the roof member is substantiallyaligned with the corner defined by the exposed and unexposed surfaceportions of the side outer member, said unexposed surface portions ofthe members having the abutments which are not overlapped to each otherand can be abutted to each other in a widthwise direction. This enablesthe roof member to be placed on the side outer member from right abovewithout any trouble since the unexposed portion of the roof member doesnot interfere with the exposed and unexposed portions of the underlyingside outer member.

In the above-mentioned third aspect, the roof member can be placed onthe side outer member without any trouble since the unexposed portion ofthe roof member does not interfere with the underlying side outermember. This is due to the fact that parts of the inner bent and thelower margin constituting the unexposed portion of the roof member iscut out to provide the cut-out such that in use the lower edge of saidcut-out is spaced apart from the edge of the groove-defining portion ofthe side outer member toward the center axis of the vehicle, the innerbent and the lower margin constituting the unexposed portion of theouter side member being extended to provide the extension toward thecenter axis of the vehicle, said inner bents and said lower margins ofsaid unexposed surface portions of said members being mutuallyoverlapped with those of said roof members being inside. No putty sealeror the like is needed to apply since there is no gap between theunexposed surface portions of the roof and side outer members.

Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described inconjunction with the drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a partially enlarged perspective view of a first embodiment ofthe present invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a partially enlarged perspective view showing a variation ofthe first embodiment;

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the variation shown in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a partially enlarged perspective view of a second embodimentof the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a plan view of the second embodiment shown in FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a partially enlarged perspective view of a variation of thesecond embodiment;

FIG. 8 is a plan view of the variation shown in FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a partially enlarged perspective view of a third embodiment ofthe present invention;

FIG. 10 is a rear view of a part of the third embodiment where the roofmember is about to be placed on the side outer member;

FIG. 11 is a rear view of a part of the third embodiment of theinvention after the roof member has been placed on the side outermember;

FIG. 12 is a view taken along the line XII--XII in FIG. 10;

FIG. 13 is a view taken along the line XIII--XIII in FIG. 11;

FIG. 14 is a partial perspective view of a vehicle body having aconventional roof structure with a drip channel;

FIG. 15 is a view taken along the line XV--XV in FIG. 14;

FIG. 16 is a view taken alone the line XVI--XVI in FIG. 14;

FIG. 17 is an enlarged view of a portion XVII in FIG. 14;

FIG. 18 is a partial perspective view of a vehicle body having aconventional roof structure with no drip channel;

FIG. 19 is an enlarged view of a portion XIX in FIG. 18;

FIG. 20 is a view taken along the line XX--XX in FIGS. 18 and 19; and

FIG. 21 is a view taken along the line XXI--XXI in FIG. 19.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIGS. 1 and 2 represent a first embodiment of the present invention.

In a vehicle such as passenger car or bonnet truck, a boundary 34between a roof member 31 and a side outer member 32 is at a roof 33. Themembers 31 and 32 are respectively formed at their side portions withgroove-defining side walls 35 and 37 and bottoms 36 and 38 each of whichextend over majority of length of the corresponding member except for alongitudinal (front and/or rear) end or ends of the same. The bottom 36of the roof member 31 is placed on and spot-welded to the bottom 38 ofthe side outer member 32 at 39 to thereby provide the boundary 34 in theform of a groove 41 extending over majority of length of the members 31and 32 in a longitudinal direction 40 of the vehicle except for thelongitudinal (front and/or rear) end or ends of the members 31 and 32.The groove 41 is filled with molding (not shown) made of rubber orsynthetic resin. Thus, the roof structure with no drip channel isprovided. Each of the bottoms 36 and 38 has substantially the same width42 as that of the groove 41 throughout the length of the bottom.

The members 31 and 32 are respectively provided at each of theirlongitudinal (front and rear) ends with unexposed surface portions 47and 48 which comprise inner bents 43 and 44 for engagement with a paneof glass for a window (a windshield or a rear window) and lower margins45 and 46 for support of the glass pane.

In this embodiment, the side outer member 32 is formed, at itsgroove-defining end wall 49, with a reduced width portion 50 such thatwidth 52 of the end wall 49 at its outer edge 51 is substantiallyone-half of width 42 of the groove 41; and the roof member 31 is formed,at its groove-defining end wall 53, with a reduced width portion 54 suchthat width 56 of the end wall 53 at its outer edge 55 is equal to adifference between the width 42 of the groove 41 and the width 52 of theend wall 49 at its outer edge 51. (In FIG. 1, the widths 52 and 56 areshown apart only for facilitation in drawing.)

Further, an abutment 63 is provided by the exposed and/or unexposedsurface portions 58 and/or 48 on a portion 57 at the end of the sideouter member 32 where no grooved boundary is present; and an abutment 64is provided by the exposed and/or unexposed surface portion 60 and/or 47on a portion 59 at the end of the roof member 31 where no groovedboundary is present. These abutments 63 and 64 extends substantially ina longitudinal direction 40 of the vehicle and can be abutted to eachother in a widthwise direction 62 substantially at a center 61 of thewidth 42 of the groove 41.

Reference numerals 65 and 66 respectively denote flanges on theabutments 63 and 64 which can be abutted to each other.

According to this embodiment, the abutment 63 is provided by the exposedand/or unexposed surface portions 58 and/or 48 on the ungrooved portion57 of the side outer member 32, and the abutment 64 is provided by theexposed and/or unexposed surface portion 60 and/or 47 on the ungroovedportion 59 of the roof member 31. These abutments 63 and 64 can beabutted to each other in the widthwise direction 62 substantially at thecenter 61 of the width 42 of the groove 41. Hence, the roof member 31can be placed on the side outer member 32 from right above without anytrouble since the unexposed surface portion 47 of the roof member 31does not interfere with the underlying exposed and unexposed portions 58and 48 of the side outer member 32.

FIGS. 3 and 4 represent a variation of the first embodiment in which themembers 31 and 32 are stepped at their portions 59 and 57 including theabutments 64 and 63 to provide a sub-groove 75 continuous to the groove41. Thus, a groove 76 is constituted as a whole by the grooves 41 and75.

The sub-groove 75 may be shallower than the groove 41 or may be as deepas the latter. Anyway, the boundary is provided also at one or bothlongitudinal ends of the members 32 and 31 by the abutments 63 and 64not overlapping to each other.

Further, the presence of the sub-groove 75 also enables the boundary 34between the members 31 and 32 to be filled with molding throughout thelength of the members 31 and 32.

FIGS. 5 and 6 represent a second embodiment of the present invention.

In this embodiment, overlapped portions 67 and 68 of the side outer androof members 32 and 31 are respectively provided by the groove-definingportions 37, 38, 35 and 36 and the ungrooved end portions 57 and 59 ofthe members 32 and 31.

The overlying overlapped portion 68 is diagonally cut out at its portion59 to provide a diagonally cut portion 69 downwardly directed toward thecenter axis of the roof 33 and thus that of the roof member 31 such thata corner 70 defined by the cut portion 69 and the exposed and unexposedportions 60 and 47 of the member 31 is substantially aligned with acorner 71 defined by the exposed and unexposed surface portions 58 and48 of the underlying overlapped portion 67 of the side outer member 32.

The underlying portion 67 shown in FIG. 5 is not cut out as in the caseof the FIG. 19 prior art; however, the portion 67 may be diagonally cutout to provide a diagonally cut portion 74 directed away from the centeraxis of the roof 33 such that the corner 70 of the overlying portion 68is aligned with the corner 71 defined by said diagonally cut portion andthe portions 58 and 48 of the underlying portion 67 (In this connection,see FIG. 8).

The unexposed surface portions 48 and 47 of the members 32 and 31respectively provide abutments 72 and 73 which extend substantially inthe longitudinal direction 40 of the vehicle and can be abutted to eachother in the widthwise direction 62.

If necessary, the abutments 72 and 73 may be designed in inclined shapeas shown at 74 downwardly directed toward the center axis of the roof 33so that they may be directed away from the exposed surface portion 58 ofthe side outer member 32.

According to this embodiment, the roof member 31 can be placed on theside outer member 32 from right above without any trouble since theunexposed surface portion 47 of the member 31 is not verticallyoverlapped with and does not interfere with the exposed and unexposedportions 58 and 48 of the side outer member 32. This is due to the factsthat the overlying overlapped portion 68 is diagonally cut out at itsportion 59 to provide the diagonally cut portion 69 downwardly directedtoward the center axis of the roof 33 and thus that of the roof member31 such that the corner 70 defined by the cut portion 69 and the exposedand unexposed portions 60 and 47 of the member 31 is substantiallyaligned with the corner 71 defined by the exposed and unexposed surfaceportions 58 and 48 of the underlying overlapped portion 67 of the sideouter member 32. The unexposed surface portions 48 and 47 of the members32 and 31 respectively provide the abutments 72 and 73 which can beabutted to each other in the widthwise direction 62.

In the above-mentioned first embodiment, care is to be taken on sealingagainst water or the like at the ungrooved and mutually abutted portions57 and 59 and also on any difference in level between the exposedsurface portions 58 and 60 whereas no care is needed in the secondembodiment on sealing performance and any difference in height since theoverlapped portions 67 and 68 are provided.

FIGS. 7 and 8 represent a variation of the second embodiment in whichthe members 31 and 32 are stepped at parts of their overlapped portions68 and 67 including the portions 59 and 58 to thereby provide asub-groove 77 continuous to the groove 41. Thus, a groove 78 isconstituted as a whole by the grooves 41 and 77.

The sub-groove 77 may be shallower than the groove 41 or may be as deepas the latter.

Further, the presence of the sub-groove 77 also enables the boundary 34between the members 31 and 32 to be filled with molding throughout thelength of the members 31 and 32.

FIGS. 9 to 13 represent a third embodiment of the present invention.

In this embodiment, the inner bent 43 and the lower margin 45 of theunexposed surface portion 47 of the roof member 31 are partly cut awayto provide a cut-out 79 such that, in use, a lower edge of the cut-out79 is spaced from the bottom 38 of the member 32 toward the center axisof the vehicle by d as shown. The inner bent 44 and the lower margin 46of the unexposed surface portion 48 of the side outer member 32 areextended to have an extension 80 spaced at its extended edge from thebottom 38 toward the center axis of the vehicle by e as shown, which inuse is combined with the cut-out 79 of the roof member 31 to be placedoutwardly on and coupled to the portion 47 of the member 31 for exampleby spot welding.

According to this embodiment, the roof member 31 can be placed onto theside outer member 32 from right above without any trouble since theunexposed surface portion 47 of the member 31 does not interfere withthe underlying member 32. This is due to the facts that the inner bent43 and the lower margin 45 of the unexposed surface portion 47 of theroof member 31 are partly cut away to provide the cut-out 79 such that,in use, a lower edge of the cut-out 79 is spaced from the bottom 38 ofthe side outer member 32 toward the center axis of the vehicle by d asshown; and that the inner bent 44 and the lower margin 46 of theunexposed surface portion 48 of the side outer member 32 are extended toprovide an extension 80 spaced at its extended edge from the bottom 38toward the center axis of the vehicle by e as shown, which in use iscombined with the cut-out 79 of the roof member 31 to be placedoutwardly on and coupled to the portion 47 of the member 31 for exampleby spot welding. Furthermore, no putty sealer or the like is needed toapply since there is no gap between the unexposed surface portions 47and 48 of the members 31 and 32.

Coupling strength of the members 31 and 32 is improved since couplingtogether by for example spot welding can be made between the inner bents43 and 44 and the lower margins 45 and 46 of the members 31 and 32 withthe inner bent 43 and the lower margin 45 of the roof member 31 beinginside.

Thus, the roof member 31 can be placed onto the side outer member 32from right above without causing any gap between the unexposed surfaceportions 47 and 48 of the members 31 and 32. No putty sealer or the likeis needed; intrusion of any rainwater is reliably prevented; andexternal appearance is also improved.

Besides the above features, the third embodiment has substantially thesame arrangement as that of the other embodiments and the same functionsand effects can be obtained.

It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to theabove embodiments and that various changes and modifications may be madewithout departing from the spirit and the scope of the presentinvention.

What is claimed is:
 1. A roof structure for a vehicle which comprises aside outer member having a side portion and a roof member having a sideportion, where said side portions are combined to provide a grooveextending over at least one half of a distance formed along a boundarybetween said members, the side outer member having an inner bent, alower margin and a groove-defining portion, wherein the groove-definingportion of the side outer member having an edge, the roof member havingan inner bent and a lower margin, parts of the inner bent and the lowermargin constituting an unexposed surface portion of the roof memberbeing cut out to provide a cut-out such that in use a lower edge of saidcut-out is spaced apart from the edge of the groove-defining portion ofthe side outer member toward a center axis of the vehicle, the innerbent and the lower margin constituting an unexposed surface portion ofthe outer side member being extended to provide an extension toward thecenter axis of the vehicle, said inner bents and said lower margins ofsaid unexposed surface portions of said members being mutuallyoverlapped, wherein said unexposed surface portion of said roof memberbeing mutually overlapped being positioned inside of said unexposedsurface portion of said side outer member being mutually overlapped.